This study investigated the effects of repression-sensitization communication network change, task change, and situation change on leadership continuity. Twenty-four 5-man groups, homogeneously composed of either repressers or sensitizers, participated in a wheel network, a completely-connected network, and a leaderless group discussion (LGD)…

Two characteristics that determine problem difficulty--the nature of the move search space and its interaction with other aspects of the task--were investigated in experiments in which 26, 69, 42, and 42 community college students attempted to solve the Chinese Ring Puzzle. The origins and implications of difficulty are discussed. (SLD)

Presents a review of literature on programing in Logo, including prerequisites of programing, cognitive effects of programing, stages of programing, and levels of programing expertise. An analysis of the literature establishes the need for operationalizing problem solving with Logo, and a research strategy to meet this need is suggested. (32…

Argues that students should continuously question the purpose of their daily classroom activities and assignments. Explains that when students are required to consider purpose, they begin to develop important intellectual skills, and to bring relevance to their critical thinking and daily life. (NB)

This study assessed how rewards impacted intrinsic motivation when students were rewarded for achievement while learning an activity, for performing at a specific level on a test, or for both. Undergraduate university students engaged in a problem-solving activity. The design was a 2 * 2 factorial with 2 levels of reward in a learning phase…

Cognitive task analysis grew out of efforts by cognitive psychologists to understand problem-solving in a lab setting. It has proved a useful tool for describing expert performance in complex problem solving domains. This review considers two general models of cognitive task analysis and examines the procedures and results of analyses in three…

The "Competent Group Communicator" is an assessment tool designed to evaluate the performance of individual members who participate in task-oriented small group discussions. This instrument is designed to be used to evaluate the performance of students enrolled in a small group communication course, as a course placement tool, as a pre-…

This study examined the relationship between children's gender-typed conversational styles and joint problem-solving performance. Sixty preschool children between 4 and 5 1/2 years completed three problems with a same-sex or opposite-sex peer. Two structured tasks, copying a Tinkertoy model and stringing beads; and one unstructured task, building…

Applying and adapting a variety of appropriate heuristic strategies is one of the accepted standards of problem solving (NCTM, 2000). Thinking through a solution to a non-routine mathematical task, experts in problem solving call into play many sophisticated strategies (almost) without conscious efforts, while novices need to be taught how to do…

This paper provides a detailed empirical account of the performances of 8- to 9-year-olds and 11- to 12-year-olds on a chore-scheduling task developed to assess the dynamics of planning processes. In developing the planning task for revealing different levels of planning proficiency, five critical aspects of planning were taken into account: the…

This paper outlines the decision-making processes and procedures that affect curriculum and identifies the leadership role of different school personnel and the steps involved in making decisions. The following areas of curriculum planning are discussed: (1) what is to be taught to different learners and in what order; (2) what textbooks, media,…

The process of forming practical abilities and skills in training situations through the control of the assimilation process is described, and an experimental application of this process for the instruction of machine operators is reported. Six references are included. (CHC)

A theory is proposed of the processes which enable a subject to learn while solving a problem. One subject's protocol--including 224 steps and taking 90 minutes--is described. Adequacy of the mechanisms is guaranteed by a computer simulation of the processes in an adaptive production system. (Author/GDC)

Explains task definition which is the first stage in the Big 6, an approach to information and technology skills instruction. Highlights include defining the problem; identifying the information requirements of the problem; transferability from curriculum-based problems to everyday tasks; and task definition logs kept by students. (LRW)

Describes an examination of arithmetic problem posing designed to examine the behaviors of 63 prospective elementary school teachers. Findings indicate that the test effectively evaluates arithmetic problem posing. Most subjects were able to pose solvable, complex problems. Performance improved when the task contained specific numerical…